Hakkaku

For a meal centred on fish, live horse mackerel is a good place to start. It is available as sashimi or tataki, and some diners have singled it out as a particular highlight. Hakkaku’s menu also lists tuna, swordtip squid and amberjack sashimi, as well as simmered kinmedai and grilled nodoguro. Choose raw seafood, or opt for something grilled or simmered, depending on your mood.

There are plenty of dishes beyond seafood, too, including agedashi tofu, maitake tempura and shimeji and eringi mushrooms cooked with butter. The menu can suit a night of drinks with sashimi and a few small plates, or a more substantial meal of nabeyaki chanko or sushi.

This izakaya is in Nagai Higashi and accepts reservations as well as dine-in guests. It is described as suitable for both solo meals and group visits. Keep it in mind when you want to build a meal around live horse mackerel and a few other dishes.